Laser beam coupler, shaper and collimator device

Abstract

An apparatus for providing improved high power laser beams. An elongated reflector with a highly-reflective surface is utilized with a laser beam emitter, such as a broad area diode laser, a diode laser bar, or a diode laser array. The laser beams reflect off of the highly-reflective surface which is curved substantially parabolically. The reflected beams are collimated or otherwise shaped and/or coupled by manipulation of the size and shape of the elongated reflector and the placement of the laser beam emitter in association therewith. A system of lenses or mirrors may be used in conjunction with the reflecting apparatus to achieve enhanced beam quality. One-dimensional and two-dimensional laser arrays can also be fabricated utilizing a substrate containing laser beam emitters in communication with one or more grooves formed in the substrate, with parabolic reflecting surfaces formed in the grooves or with optical reflector members placed in the grooves.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:  
     
       1. A laser device, comprising: 
       a substrate having an upper surface with at least one groove formed therein;  
       a laser beam emitter capable of emitting at least one laser beam, the emitter embedded in the substrate so as to emit at least one laser beam into the groove of the substrate; and  
       a reflection means disposed in the groove for reflecting the at least one laser beam, the reflection means defining a parabolic reflective surface along the groove.  
     
     
       2. The laser device of claim  1 , wherein the substrate comprises a material that permits dissipation of heat generated by the laser beam emitter. 
     
     
       3. The laser device of claim  2 , wherein the substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of copper, beryllium oxide, aluminum nitride, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       4. The laser device of claim  1 , wherein the groove has a substantially hemiparabolic profile defined by a curved sidewall and a flat sidewall. 
     
     
       5. The laser device of claim  1 , wherein the laser beam emitter comprises at least one diode laser bar. 
     
     
       6. The laser device of claim  1 , wherein the laser beam emitter comprises at least one red diode laser bar. 
     
     
       7. The laser device of claim  1 , wherein the laser beam emitter comprises at least one near infrared diode laser bar. 
     
     
       8. The laser device of claim  1 , wherein the laser beam emitter is positioned in the substrate such that the laser beam will be directed at the reflective surface. 
     
     
       9. The laser device of claim  1 , wherein the laser beam emitter is positioned in the substrate such that rays of the laser beam will be collimated upon reflection off of the reflective surface. 
     
     
       10. The laser device of claim  4 , wherein the reflection means comprises a reflective layer on the curved sidewall of the groove. 
     
     
       11. The laser device of claim  10 , wherein the reflective layer comprises a metallic material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, silver, nickel, copper, gold, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       12. The laser device of claim  1 , wherein the reflection means comprises an optical reflector member having a substantially hemiparabolic profile defined by a curved sidewall and a flat sidewall. 
     
     
       13. The laser device of claim  12 , wherein the curved sidewall has a reflective layer formed thereon. 
     
     
       14. The laser device of claim  13 , wherein the reflective layer comprises a metallic material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, silver, nickel, copper, gold, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       15. The laser device of claim  12 , wherein the flat sidewall has an antireflective layer formed thereon. 
     
     
       16. The laser device of claim  12 , wherein the groove has a substantially rectangular profile. 
     
     
       17. A laser device, comprising: 
       a substrate having an upper surface with a plurality of grooves formed therein, the grooves each having a substantially hemiparabolic profile defined by a curved sidewall and a flat sidewall;  
       a plurality of laser diodes capable of emitting laser beams, the laser diodes embedded in the substrate so as to emit the laser beams into the grooves of the substrate and toward each curved sidewall; and  
       a plurality of reflective layers formed on each curved sidewall of the grooves, the reflective layers each defining a parabolic reflective surface along each of the grooves for reflecting the laser beams.  
     
     
       18. The laser device of claim  17 , wherein the substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of copper, beryllium oxide, aluminum nitride, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       19. The laser device of claim  17 , wherein the reflective layers comprise a metallic material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, silver, nickel, copper, gold, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       20. The laser device of claim  17 , wherein the laser diodes are embedded in a paired back-to-back configuration in the substrate. 
     
     
       21. A laser device, comprising: 
       a substrate having an upper surface with a plurality of grooves formed therein;  
       a plurality of laser diodes capable of emitting laser beams, the laser diodes embedded in the substrate so as to emit the laser beams into the grooves of the substrate; and  
       a plurality of optical reflector members inserted into the grooves for reflecting the laser beams, the optical reflector members each having a substantially hemiparabolic profile defined by a curved sidewall and a flat sidewall.  
     
     
       22. The laser device of claim  21 , wherein the substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of copper, beryllium oxide, aluminum nitride, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       23. The laser device of claim  21 , wherein the curved sidewall of each optical reflector member has a reflective layer formed thereon. 
     
     
       24. The laser device of claim  23 , wherein the reflective layer comprises a metallic material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, silver, nickel, copper, gold, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       25. The laser device of claim  21 , wherein the flat sidewall of each optical reflector member has an antireflective layer formed thereon. 
     
     
       26. The laser device of claim  21 , wherein the optical reflector members are composed of glass or plastic materials. 
     
     
       27. The laser device of claim  21 , wherein the grooves have a substantially rectangular profile. 
     
     
       28. The laser device of claim  21 , wherein the laser diodes are embedded in a paired back-to-back configuration in the substrate. 
     
     
       29. A method of fabricating a laser device, comprising the steps of: 
       providing a substrate having an upper surface;  
       forming at least one groove in the upper surface of the substrate, the groove having a substantially hemiparabolic profile defined by a curved sidewall and a flat sidewall;  
       embedding at least one laser beam emitter in the substrate capable of emitting at least one laser beam into the groove of the substrate; and  
       forming a reflective layer on the curved sidewall of the groove, the reflective layer defining a parabolic reflective surface along the groove.  
     
     
       30. The method of claim  29 , wherein the laser beam emitter is positioned in the substrate such that the laser beam will be directed at the reflective surface. 
     
     
       31. The method of claim  29 , wherein the at least one groove includes a plurality of grooves formed in the upper surface of the substrate. 
     
     
       32. The method of claim  29 , wherein the at least one laser beam emitter includes a plurality of laser diodes embedded in a paired back-to-back configuration in the substrate. 
     
     
       33. A method of fabricating a laser device, comprising the steps of: 
       providing a substrate having an upper surface;  
       forming at least one groove in the upper surface of the substrate;  
       embedding at least one laser beam emitter in the substrate capable of emitting at least one laser beam into the groove of the substrate;  
       forming at least one optical reflector member having a substantially hemiparabolic profile defined by a curved sidewall and a flat sidewall; and  
       placing the optical reflector member in the groove such that the flat sidewall abuts against the laser beam emitter.  
     
     
       34. The method of claim  33 , wherein a reflective layer is formed on the curved sidewall of the optical reflector member. 
     
     
       35. The method of claim  33 , wherein an antireflective layer is formed on the flat sidewall of the optical reflector member. 
     
     
       36. The method of claim  33 , wherein the at least one groove includes a plurality of grooves formed in the upper surface of the substrate. 
     
     
       37. The method of claim  33 , wherein the at least one laser beam emitter includes a plurality of laser diodes embedded in a paired back-to-back configuration in the substrate. 
     
     
       38. An apparatus for improving the quality and power of a laser beam, comprising: 
       an optical reflector member comprising a light transmissive material and having a reflective surface, the reflector member having a substantially hemiparabolic curvature along the reflective surface and a focal line corresponding to the hemiparabolic curvature; and  
       a laser beam emitter capable of emitting at least one laser beam, the laser beam emitter being positioned in relation to the focal line of the reflective surface such that the laser beam is reflected off of the reflective surface.  
     
     
       39. The apparatus of claim  38 , wherein the laser beam emitter comprises at least one diode laser bar. 
     
     
       40. The apparatus of claim  38 , wherein the laser beam emitter comprises at least one red diode laser bar. 
     
     
       41. The apparatus of claim  38 , wherein the laser beam emitter comprises at least one near infrared diode laser bar. 
     
     
       42. The apparatus of claim  38 , wherein the laser beam emitter comprises a diode laser bar or array made of individual diode lasers that have been detachably assembled together. 
     
     
       43. The apparatus of claim  38 , further comprising an outer base supporting the reflector, the outer base comprising a material that permits dissipation of heat generated by the laser beam emitter. 
     
     
       44. The apparatus of claim  43 , wherein the material is selected from the group consisting of copper, beryllium oxide, aluminum nitride, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       45. The apparatus of claim  43 , wherein the laser beam emitter is positioned on the outer base adjacent to the reflector. 
     
     
       46. The apparatus of claim  38 , wherein the light transmissive material comprises a glass or plastic material. 
     
     
       47. The apparatus of claim  38 , wherein the optical reflector member has a substantially hemiparabolic profile defined by a curved sidewall and a pair of flat sidewalls. 
     
     
       48. The apparatus of claim  47 , wherein the curved sidewall has a reflective layer formed thereon. 
     
     
       49. The apparatus of claim  38 , wherein the laser beam is collimated upon reflection off of the reflective surface. 
     
     
       50. The apparatus of claim  38 , wherein the reflective surface comprises a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, silver, nickel, copper, gold, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       51. The apparatus of claim  38 , further comprising at least one lens outside of the reflector member in the path of the laser beam reflected off the reflective surface. 
     
     
       52. The apparatus of claim  38 , further comprising at least one mirror outside of the reflector member in the path of the laser beam reflected off the reflective surface. 
     
     
       53. The apparatus of claim  38 , further comprising at least one non-linear crystal outside of the reflector member in the path of the laser beam reflected off the reflective surface. 
     
     
       54. The apparatus of claim  53 , wherein the non-linear crystal comprises a material selected from the group consisting of lithium tantalate, lithium niobate, and potassium titanyl phosphate. 
     
     
       55. An apparatus for improving the quality and power of a laser beam comprising an optical reflector member comprised of a light transmissive material and having a reflective surface, the reflector member having a hemiparabolic curvature along the reflective surface and a focal line corresponding to the hemiparabolic curvature such that a laser beam emitted from a diode laser or an array of diode lasers positioned at the focal line is reflected off of the reflective surface of the reflector member as a collimated beam. 
     
     
       56. The apparatus of claim  55 , wherein the light transmissive material comprises a glass or plastic material. 
     
     
       57. The apparatus of claim  55 , wherein the optical reflector member has a substantially hemiparabolic profile defined by a curved sidewall and a pair of flat sidewalls. 
     
     
       58. The apparatus of claim  57 , wherein the curved sidewall has a reflective layer formed thereon. 
     
     
       59. A method of fabricating a laser device, comprising the steps of: 
       forming an elongated reflector with a reflective surface, the elongated reflector having a hemiparabolic curvature along the reflective surface and a focal line corresponding to the hemiparabolic curvature, the elongated reflector formed of a light transmissive material;  
       assembling together individual diode lasers to form a laser bar or array; and  
       positioning the laser bar or array in relation to the focal line of the reflective surface such that a laser beam is reflected off of the reflective surface as a collimated beam.  
     
     
       60. The method of claim  59 , wherein the light transmissive material comprises a glass or plastic material. 
     
     
       61. The method of claim  59 , wherein the reflective surface is formed by depositing a reflective layer on a curved sidewall of the elongated reflector. 
     
     
       62. A laser device, comprising: 
       a substrate having an upper surface with at least one groove therein;  
       a laser beam emitter capable of emitting at least one laser beam, the emitter embedded in the substrate so as to emit at least one laser beam into the groove of the substrate; and  
       a reflection means disposed in the groove for reflecting the at least one laser beam, the reflection means defining a parabolic reflective surface along the groove and comprising an optical reflector member having a substantially hemiparabolic profile defined by a curved sidewall and a flat sidewall.  
     
     
       63. A laser device, comprising: 
       a substrate having an upper surface with a plurality of grooves therein, the grooves each having a substantially hemiparabolic profile defined by a curved sidewall and a flat sidewall, the substrate comprising a material selected from the group consisting of copper, beryllium oxide, aluminum nitride, and combinations thereof;  
       a plurality of laser diodes capable of emitting laser beams, the laser diodes embedded in the substrate so as to emit the laser beams into the grooves of the substrate and toward each curved sidewall; and  
       a plurality of reflective layers on each curved sidewall of the grooves, the reflective layers each defining a parabolic reflective surface along each of the grooves for reflecting the laser beams.  
     
     
       64. A method of fabricating a laser device, comprising the steps of 
       providing a substrate having an upper surface, the substrate comprising a material selected from the group consisting of copper, beryllium oxide, aluminum nitride, and combinations thereof;  
       forming at least one groove in the upper surface of the substrate, the groove having a substantially hemiparabolic profile defined by a curved sidewall and a flat sidewall;  
       embedding at least one laser beam emitter in the substrate capable of emitting at least one laser beam into the groove of the substrate; and  
       forming a reflective layer on the curved sidewall of the groove, the reflective layer defining a parabolic reflective surface along the groove.  
     
     
       65. An apparatus for improving the quality and power of a laser beam, comprising: 
       an elongated reflector having a reflective surface, the elongated reflector having a substantially hemiparabolic curvature along the reflective surface and a focal line corresponding to the hemiparabolic curvature;  
       an outer base supporting the reflector, the outer base comprising a material that permits dissipation of heat generated by the laser beam emitter, the material selected from the group consisting of copper, beryllium oxide, aluminum nitride, and combinations thereof; and  
       a laser beam emitter capable of emitting at least one laser beam, the laser beam emitter being positioned in relation to the focal line of the reflective surface such that the laser beam is reflected off of the reflective surface.